Nigeria and four other West Africa neighbours have stop the importation of ‘dirty fuel’ from Europe, the UN Environmental Programme says.
A recent report revealed that European companies were exploiting weak regulations in West Africa to export fuels with high levels of sulphur.
Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire agreed on the import ban.
The UN says the move will help more than 250 million people breathe safer and cleaner air.
The sulphur particles emitted by a diesel engine are considered to be a major contributor to air pollution and are ranked by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top global health risks.
It is associated with heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory problems.
